Global warming and climate change: the situation before and after 2000

Abstract

Climate change mitigation is one of the top environmental priorities. The Kyoto Protocol was elaborated as a means to control the risk of global warming from greenhouse gases, while improving the human condition. The text of this Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997, and by 1998-1999 it had received the signatures of the actual European Union member countries. This paper investigates the differences, before and after 1998, regarding CO2 emissions, energy consumption and other environmental indicators in 15 European countries.